Elkhart girl sent to hospital after car crash

ELKHART — A 2-year-old girl was sent to Riley Hospital for Children following a three-car accident Saturday evening.

Emergency personnel were called around 8:54 p.m. to Hively Avenue near the intersection with Prairie Street.

Ramon Aguilera, 55, of Elkhart, was driving east on Hively Avenue on the left lane and stopped behind a vehicle that was waiting to turn left onto Prairie Street. Another vehicle, driven by Alex Brown, stopped behind Aguilera’s. A third vehicle crashed into the rear of the car Brown was driving, pushing his car onto Aguilera’s.

The third vehicle, described in an accident report as a blue 2004 Jeep Liberty, was left at the scene.

Valerie Brown, Alex Brown’s mother, and the owner of the vehicle he was driving, said her son had told her he saw at least three individuals run from the car.

Two children traveling in the car Alex Brown was driving were taken to the hospital. Gabriel Horning, who turns 2 in March, and Gia Gallagher, 2, were taken to Elkhart General Hospital after the accident. However, Gallagher was later taken to Riley Hospital for Children because of her injuries. She was discharged Wednesday.

Valerie Brown said Gallagher, Alex Brown’s fiance’s daughter, suffered multiple skull fractures. She said Gallagher also had some broken bones around her left ear, and that it is still unclear whether it will affected her hearing. At first the family was concerned Gallagher had received injuries to her chest, where she had open heart surgery less than a year ago.

Horning, Alex Brown’s son, had a broken foot, but he was treated and released from Elkhart General Hospital.

“We are just very angry because the people ran (from the scene),” she said. “It’s very frustrating.”

Valerie Brown added that she hoped anyone with information would contact the police department.